Watch Series – MediaTabTV: what it is and how to remove it
Watch Series – MediaTabTV is the browser plugin related to another browser hijacker and ad-supported sites. It focuses on pushing commercial content and exposing users to material that can gather various information.
Facts checked October 6, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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Watch Series – MediaTabTV: summary
| Distribution | Freeware distributors pre-pack[2] PUPs alongside other software |
|---|---|
| Name | Watch Series – MediaTabTV |
| Type | Browser hijacker |
| Symptoms | An extension installed on the web browser Homepage and new tab address altered Sponsored links promoted at the top of the search results |
| Related | Search.mediatabtv.online |
| Danger | Exposure to potentially dangerous ads and redirects |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 7 more facts
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Search page | search.mediatabtv.online |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 16 January 2020 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Watch Series – MediaTabTV dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Jan 2020 · not reviewed since
Watch Series – MediaTabTV is a browser extension with a few unwanted features
Watch Series – MediaTabTV is the browser plugin related to another browser hijacker and ad-supported sites.
It focuses on pushing commercial content and exposing users to material that can gather various information. If you experience unfamiliar pop-ups, banners, other ads, and your start page, new tab, homepage, search settings get altered out of nowhere, you should not ignore these symptoms.
The unwanted app mainly appears on the Google Chrome browser and changes various preferences to control the content and online traffic. Overall, it it suggested to be used as a useful tool to watch TV shows, but keep in mind that there is a reason why this extension is rated just two out of five stars.
Allegedly, this extension is a streaming service that allows you to access copyrighted content and watch TV shows or movies online. However, it functions as a redirect virus and shows you promotional content, exposes to phishing sites, fake videos, or broken pages filled with malware.
Even though this program is called a Watch Series – MediaTabTV virus by users, this is only an intrusive and annoying potentially unwanted program that creates frustration on the device. There is nothing malicious about the browser hijacker, but there is no guarantee that the material you get exposed to due to redirects is safe and not related to malware.
You should be suspicious and be cautious whenever a new page appears on the screen. You may get additional PUPs installed without even noticing because of automatically triggered downloads from malicious commercial pages. To avoid such thing, remove Watch Series – MediaTabTV from the machine as soon as possible and block any content that still appears on your machine.
Take into consideration that the app is related to other pages and browser hijackers, fake search engines. When the page seems safe or useful it doesn't mean it really is. You may get redirected to different services and links, ads, or pages from search results.
That should be the first red flag indicating a browser-based threat or even the potentially unwanted program that runs in the background and triggers all the processes, pop-ups, redirects, or even installations and setting changes. React to any unwanted and intrusive behavior, especially when related to a suspicious program. The sooner you take action, the better.
Watch Series – MediaTabTV redirect triggers content, so you interact with links, ads, and online material that you didn't want. When you use this search engine as your default one, all the redirects keep the useful content away from you, and every in-browser search is useless. There is no reason to keep this unwanted plugin on the browser or the related PUP on the machine.
However, since this is a silent intruder, the process of Watch Series – MediaTabTV removal becomes a bit more difficult. You need to eliminate all related files and programs form the machine to get rid of the redirects and unwanted exposure fully.
As for more reasons to terminate the app:
The extension sends information to different servers, and pages can then rely on those details about your online browsing preferences to make ads geared towards your needs and likings. This is how all the page visits and clicks are triggered. Those promotional ads also can use tracking cookies and place them on the system, so your privacy is at risk.
Make sure to get rid of the app and avoid issues regarding the data collection. You cannot be sure what information is gathered exactly, so rely on anti-malware tools, scan the machine, reboot if needed, and get back to safe surfing online. You can find additional tips for the browser resetting below the article.
- the hijacker can read and change your data on websites you continuously visit;
- it can change search engine preferences and install other programs;
- other advertisers can easily access your browsing data and collect those details;
- the more time this PUP gets on the machine the more personal information is gathered;
- all the data recorded about you is used to generate personalized ads.
From our report of Jan 2020 · not reviewed since
Questionable application installations lead to pre-bundled PUPs
When the installer setup includes bundled applications and freeware, you can download all the content without even noticing if you choose the Quick installation method and skip through important steps.
Such options allow all the included programs ti get installed on your computer by default.
To avoid these infiltrations, you need to pay closer attention to details and follow Advanced or Custom installations every time you install media players or free software. This is how you can control what comes to your device and what doesn't. You can see the full list of included programs and deselect what you don't want to install.
PUPs can enter the system without requiring any permissions and affect the machine behind your back before even showing any symptoms. Add-ons and browser extensions may get added from deceptive pages too and distributed on Google Chrome Web store, for example. Pay attention to anything promoted online, and always avoid sponsored content, pages filled with ads.
From our report of Jan 2020 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Watch Series – MediaTabTV
- Potentially unwanted programs can access settings of the machine and install their files there to ensure the persistence and affect the performance.
- Get a system optimizer to fix such issues regarding the damaged files.
- may help you with that
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
search.mediatabtv.online
How to remove Watch Series – MediaTabTV
How to remove Watch Series – MediaTabTV and get your search engine back
Remove the extension first.
The search settings only stay fixed once nothing on the PC can change them again.
Step 1: Remove extensions you did not add
In Chrome open
chrome://extensions, in Edgeedge://extensions, and in Firefox the menu > Extensions and themes.Remove every extension you do not remember adding, especially search, new tab, coupon, PDF, weather or video downloader add-ons. Check every browser and every profile, because each keeps its own list.
If an extension has no Remove button or comes back, a browser policy holds it (see "Managed by your organization" in the procedure below). The pages are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Chrome on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions. Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension
Step 2: Put the search engine back and delete search.mediatabtv.online
In Chrome open Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, make an engine you trust the default, and delete
search.mediatabtv.onlinefrom the list.In Edge type
search engineinto the search box at the top of Settings and open Manage search engines; in Firefox use Settings > Search. Then check the homepage and the new tab page in the same settings, because hijackers change all three.If search.mediatabtv.online is back after a restart, an extension, a program or a policy still sets it, so finish the other steps and check again. The settings are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Chrome on Windows 11: check Search engine and On startup. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 3: Uninstall programs you did not mean to install
Watch Series – MediaTabTV rarely comes alone: it is usually installed by, or together with, a free program. In Windows 11 open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and sort by install date.
Uninstall every entry from the day the trouble began that you did not install on purpose, for example a download manager, a converter or a browser you never chose.
Keep drivers and entries from Microsoft, Intel, AMD, NVIDIA or your PC's maker unless you are sure.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 4: Reset the browser
A reset removes what the steps above could miss:
- changed start pages
- site permissions
- hidden settings
In Chrome open Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults; in Edge Settings > Reset settings; in Firefox Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox.
Tip: Bookmarks and saved passwords stay, while extensions are turned off and the search engine and start page return to the defaults.
Reset every browser on the PC, including Edge, which Windows 11 and Windows 10 always have.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
A scan finds the parts of Watch Series – MediaTabTV that the manual steps cannot see. In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, start a Full scan and quarantine what it reports.
Follow it with Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) > Scan now, which restarts the PC and checks the disk while Windows and the malware are not running.
It takes about 15 minutes and works the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10. If either scan finds something, run the full scan again after removal until it comes back clean.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Uninstall from Windows
The intruder can be removed from your machine if you follow these instructions:
Uninstall from Windows 10/8:
- Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
Remove the unwanted program:
- In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
- If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.
Remove from Google Chrome
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click Remove.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
- This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Delete from Safari
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
- Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.
Clear history and website data:
- Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
- Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari:
- Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
- Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.
Delete from macOS
Remove the unwanted application:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).
Delete leftover files and folders:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
- Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.
- Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices.
Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings.
Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact - you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use for the data restoration process.
From our report of Jan 2020 · not reviewed since
Eliminate any files related to Watch Series – MediaTabTV add-on
Keep in mind that the program can gather your information directly or expose the user to the online sites where data gets tracked and collected for malvertising purposes.
This is a browser hijacker tool that injects various commercial stuff to your search results on the browser to control the content and online traffic.
Even though these symptoms seem more intrusive and annoying than dangerous, you cannot be sure about the content you end up seeing due to these redirects. So the best way to tackle this intruder is to remove Watch Series – MediaTabTV using professional tools that check more placed of the machine.
PUP removal using anti-malware tools can improve the performance of your machine and ensure that the device is running smoothly after the system cleaning processes. You may need to go through some browser settings yourself, but for that, we have a guide below.
Questions about Watch Series – MediaTabTV
Is it safe to keep search.mediatabtv.online as my search engine?
It is not recommended. Searches through search.mediatabtv.online usually still return results, but the operator sees every query, often stores it with an identifier for your browser and shows extra ads or paid links. Some hijacked results lead to fake downloads or scam pages.
You also did not choose it, which means something changed your settings without asking and may still be installed. Set your own search engine back, remove the extension or program that set search.mediatabtv.online, and check the browser's other settings, such as the start page and notification permissions, for further changes made at the same time.
Did search.mediatabtv.online come with a program I installed?
Most likely, yes. Search hijackers such as search.mediatabtv.online usually arrive with free software, where an extra offer is pre-ticked in the installer, or as an extension that promises something useful, such as file conversion, maps, recipes or streaming.
Look at Settings, Apps, Installed apps sorted by install date: whatever was installed just before the search engine changed is the main suspect. Uninstall it, then remove any extension you do not recognise. In future, choose the custom or advanced option in installers and untick extra offers, and install extensions only from the official store pages of publishers you know.
What is search.mediatabtv.online?
It is the search page used by the browser hijacker Watch Series – MediaTabTV. It has no search index of its own: it forwards your queries to another search engine and adds ads and tracking along the way.
People rarely choose it on purpose; it becomes the default search engine, home page or new tab after an extension, program or policy changes the browser settings. The page itself is not malware, but it should not be in your browser if you did not set it. The steps above remove the source and restore your settings.
Is search.mediatabtv.online dangerous?
It is not designed to infect the PC, but it is not neutral either. It logs searches, adds sponsored results that are hard to tell apart from real ones, and its ad partners are not checked as strictly as those of major search engines.
Some hijacker pages have shown ads for fake updates, tech support scams and unwanted software. The main harm is to privacy. Remove Watch Series – MediaTabTV, and if you entered personal data on sites reached through its results, check those sites carefully.
Do I have to fix every browser?
Yes, every one where the search engine or start page changed. In the cases we checked, Watch Series – MediaTabTV affected Chrome, Edge and Firefox.
Each browser stores its own search settings and extensions, so fixing one does not fix the others, and Windows-level changes such as shortcuts can affect each browser differently. Work through them one at a time:
- remove the extension
- check the policies
- restore the search engine
- start page
If you sync a browser, stay signed in so the fix spreads to your other computers.
Did search.mediatabtv.online record my searches?
Almost certainly. Logging is the point of a hijacker search page: each query, with your IP address, browser details and the result you clicked, is valuable to advertisers.
The operators of search.mediatabtv.online can store and share that data under their own privacy policy, which you never agreed to knowingly. There is no way to delete it from their side. What you can do is stop the flow:
- remove Watch Series – MediaTabTV
- clear cookies and site data for search.mediatabtv.online
- treat sensitive searches made in the meantime as known to a third party
Why does my search page look slightly different?
Because it is not your search engine's own page. Watch Series – MediaTabTV sends searches to search.mediatabtv.online, which may copy the colours and layout of a known search engine while adding its own ads and tracking. Small differences give it away:
- an unfamiliar address
- more ads than usual
- a different logo
- a search box with a brand name you do not recognise
Remove the hijacker and set your search engine again from the browser's settings to get the real page back. Then delete the hijacker's entry from the saved search engines list.
What do I lose if I reset Chrome or Edge?
Less than you might think. A reset turns off all extensions, which you can turn back on one by one, restores the default search engine, home page, new tab and pinned tabs, and clears cookies, so you are signed out of most sites.
Bookmarks, history, saved passwords and autofill data stay. Firefox's equivalent, Refresh Firefox, keeps the same essentials but removes add-ons completely. Before you reset, make sure you know your main passwords or have them saved, since you will need to sign in again.
Can I just block search.mediatabtv.online?
You can, but it treats the symptom. Blocking the domain in a firewall or the hosts file makes searches fail instead of redirecting, while the extension or program that set it keeps running and collecting data.
Hijacker operators also switch to new domains in updates, so a block may stop working within weeks. Remove the source instead, then set your own search engine. If you want extra protection afterwards, turn on Potentially unwanted app blocking in Windows Security, which stops many hijacker installers before they run.
Will Fortect remove Watch Series – MediaTabTV?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For Watch Series – MediaTabTV, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- 2spyware: How to remove a browser hiajcker (read October 6, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Product bundling (read October 6, 2026)
- Comparitech: Fileless malware attacks explained (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 6, 2026)